Receiving flu shots early is key to prevention

Airman 1st Class Benjamin Crespo, an aerospace medical apprentice Phase II student at the 81st Medical Group Hospital, inoculates Senior Master Sgt. Laura Herring, 81st Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron, with flu vaccine Oct. 13 in the hospital auditorium. As “first responders,” medical personnel are among the first to be inoculated. Due to limited quantities of flu vaccine, only certain high-risk categories of patients are receiving flu shots now, such as people with chronic lung, heart, kidney, liver or metabolic disorders, including diabetes, and those 9 years of age and older with a weakened immune system and/or conditions that can compromise breathing such as spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders or neuromuscular disorders. These patients may receive shots in the immunization clinic during normal duty hours, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. The hospital will notify the rest of the Keesler community once adequate quantities of vaccine arrive. (U.S. Air Force photo by Steve Pivnick)